Ohio Residents Could Face Up to $750 in Fees for Accessing Police Bodycam Footage

Ohio residents may soon have to pay hundreds of dollars to access police bodycam footage.

This follows a controversial provision that was added to the state’s expansive legislative package days ago. Governor Mike DeWine signed H.B. 315 into law, a 450-page omnibus bill, which allows law enforcement agencies to charge the public for access to police videos such as body cameras, dash cams, and jail surveillance footage. The new law permits agencies to charge up to $75 per hour of footage, capped at $750 per request, to cover the costs of processing the video.

DeWine, a supporter of police cameras, emphasized the importance of body and dashboard cameras for both law enforcement and accountability. He acknowledged, however, that the increased demand for footage had created “unfunded burdens” on law enforcement due to the time and labor involved in providing these public records. Despite this, some, like Republican Rep. Bill Seitz, argued that the fee only applies when the public office opts to make a copy of the footage, clarifying that people can still inspect records for free and even record the footage on their own devices.

However, the new fees have raised concerns. Lawmaker Niraj Antani warned that the charges could be “burdensome,” with legal expert Jonathan Entin suggesting that many might not be able to afford the fees, making it less likely they’ll request the footage. Having less access to such footage may hinder cases involving police brutality.